Air Wars Over Open Skies The Battle of Pakistan
In keeping with its policy for liberalising of the economy, the Nawaz Sharif regime set about deregulating the aviation industry. As a part of that process, permissions were granted to a number of airlines for operating on domestic sectors. Going further, the then government decided that reciprocal sovereign agreements were not to be enforced for operating to and from Pakistani international airports, the initial opening being confined to Karachi. While “letting a hundred flowers bloom” was a positive move with respect to the domestic skies, a proliferation of non-sovereign airlines started a cutthroat price war on the Dubai-Karachi-Dubai international sector. If the “Open Skies” policy had been restricted to sovereign airlines, as is slated to be done with effect from Jan 1, 1994, the dubious proliferation of fly-by-night operators who took advantage of the situation to the detriment of both the national interest and the national airline would have been avoided. While the government should have opted for a more phase-wise approach and annunciated a more clear-cut policy, the CAA rather than the government are to blame for the mess because there is enough evidence on record to suggest that the regulating authority misled the government, even circumventing the spirit of the liberalisation, to suit certain vested interest. In effect, this amounted to daylight robbery and one must commend PIA for not succumbing to unfair market pressure on its most lucrative route. As it is, they have taken a sustained hit because of the open-ended approach. Besides being potentially unfair, the CAA stance was extremely discriminating against the national interest and somebody should be taken to task for it. The limited aviation “rollback” on “Open Skies” on external sectors is a more suitable and considered policy, one that should have been the responsibility of the CAA to implement in the first place.
As a frequent critic of PIA, it is a pleasure to note the superb manner that PIA has conducted itself in the past few months to meet the challenge. It is beginning to look like the Airline of two decades ago in the first Nur Khan-tenure. Both on the international and domestic routes there has been a marked change for the better with respect to the visible operations, particularly ground handling and in-flight service. To that extent, more than anything else competition seems to have aroused the dormant loyalty within PIA personnel and motivated them to perform in the able manner that they are capable of. There is no substitute for courtesy and caring. Some of us who travel constantly on domestic routes, particularly on the Karachi-Islamabad-Karachi sector and have been spoiled by the attention we get on the ground in Islamabad, were still unprepared for the depth of company spirit within the PIA staff, particularly those who manage the First Class Lounge (Mrs. Najam, etc). That such protective emotion could have been aroused is a credit to PIA, to all its management, past and present. While doing many things wrong, in balance (and in all fairness) it seems that PIA has been ahead in also doing things right. With their livelihood in danger at the advent of many airlines, PIA personnel have banded together and raised their performance. If one may say so, the stark difference is clearly visible.
On the ground, PIA has certainly been helped in Karachi by the smooth functioning of the new Jinnah Terminal. This has given it many more ground handling counters, thus lessening the length of the queues. At the same time, the introduction of the “Club Class”, the “Same Day Return” and the “Family” Counters in addition to the “Without Baggage” counter are welcome initiatives that have added to passenger comfort. On board, the change in the attitude of the flight service is clearly discernible. Instead of being handled in a surly, abrupt fashion, there is a more caring and enthusiastic stance. To be successful, an airline has to fly a passenger (and his/her baggage) from one point, in safety, in comfort and on time. Most of that time is spent in the company of the cabin crew who are thus in the frontline of the subject of aviation evaluation. These personnel thus have a special responsibility as the primary ambassadors of the airline, it is mainly their performance that leaves a lasting impression on the clientele. Despite great effort by successive MDs no one could clearly create a dent in their generally stiff demeanour. One must be grateful for the advent of the many new domestic airlines for this sea-change in attitude. There is no doubt that over the past few months, it is becoming increasingly a pleasure to travel with PIA, competition seems to have brought out the dormant capability of striving for excellence within the cabin crew.
Comparing PIA to other domestic airlines, the only one among the present operators that is likely give it much competition is Shaheen Air International (SAI), whether this will last is open to question. One reason is that SAI overheads are likely to multiply rather than diminish as time passes. On the ground SAI have scored early over PIA because by deputing a number of ground host and hostesses in supervising the transit of passengers from the counters to the aircraft. It is also a fact that the responsive attitude of the SAI Staff, particularly the Supervisors among the cabin crew, covers up the obvious deficiencies both in service and material as compared to PIA which in the air is presently head and shoulders over SAI in both these respects. It will take a much bigger effort for SAI to sustain such a level of performance what to talk about catching up with PIA. Particularly in First Class SAI cannot compare with PIA. Even in the Economy Class the difference becomes more marked because the number of cabin crew are less as compared to PIA. SAI will have to substantially increase its cabin crew to come upto PIA standards, it is not easy to duplicate Thai competency and courtesy just by waving a money wand on the routes itself. The advertisement about the seat pitch is also quite misleading. However, SAI seems to have discovered more pragmatic timings for constant travellers. Its basic strength lies in its association with the Shaheen Foundation and its airport subsidiary for facilities, Shaheen Airport Services. Thus unlike the other domestic airlines, it is the only one which comes into the market with a known aviation capability. It was, however, surprising to see it allied with a business house, albeit with airline connections. Whatever the reasons, this partnership does not seem likely to survive the change in Air Force Command in the next few months by much. Airline discounting and sleight of hand reputation is not the best foundation to operate an airline. However, among the domestic airlines presently operating, SAI has the best chance for survival followed by the “no frills” Aero-Asia which appeals to a particular class of travelling passengers.
There is an imperative and immediate need for a watchdog organisation (not allied to the CAA) to maintain a close look at the working and finances of the proliferating domestic airlines. While merit must be the ultimate factor of survivability, recent news reports about unpaid CAA charges, bills for in-flight meals, fuel, etc which led to the abrupt suspension of services by at least one new airline should have been anticipated. It is an even bet that more will go down the bankruptcy route and as such constant monitoring must be carried out. After all there are such things as passenger safety, security, etc. Sudden cancellations can lead to widespread disruption of plans and schedule. By monitoring the performance as to commitment and ensuring that corners are not being cut to the detriment of security and safety, accountability will become the order of the day to replace the laissez-faire CAA attitude of today. Because of the unpaid bills, constant audit checks are necessary because many supplier organisations can be badly hurt by the financial fallout of bankruptcy.
While it has handled the “Battle for Pakistan’s” skies quite adroitly, PIA needs to get its house in order to meet the future. One lesson learnt is that it needs to not only reduce surplus personnel but impose a total ban on new recruitment except on short-term contract for special purposes. Among many other things, timings on the much travelled sectors need better adjustment, e.g. PK-300 would be in a better time slot at departure for Islamabad from Karachi at 7.30 am rather than 7.00 am, while PK-308 is better time-slotted on the same route at 5.30 pm instead of 4.00 pm. Many more ground hosts and hostesses need to be inducted into the Departure Lounges to facilitate passenger comfort. Above all, the services must be contracted for wherever possible instead of specialised personnel being permanently hired, this is a drain in the ultimate analysis. PIA must also look to bringing innovation on the pattern of its “Club Class”, “same day return”, etc basis for its existing services such as kitchen, cargo, data processing facilities, etc. The sustained training for airline crews with respect to inculcating common courtesy that was started by PIA in April/May 1993 now seems to be paying off.
In the end the deciding factor will always be superb leadership as well as the ability to shake the lethargy of indulgence and corruption that is endemic in the body corporate of PIA. Unless nepotism and favouritism are shunned or at least severely frowned upon all the achievements will come to nothing ultimately. Honest and capable senior executives need to be encouraged rather than become the victim of the web of conspiracies spun by the masters of deceit. That PIA has risen to the challenge and is thereby much better than when they started the year is a good sign, to keep that process going much hard work is required in the future. In all fairness, one must not forget that the basis of today’s relatively better performance was laid by the immediate predecessors of the present MD, Arif Abbasy and Malik Nawaz Tiwana, that Air Vice Marshal Farooq Umar has sustained the process goes to his credit. The basic promise of exciting tunes ahead is there but the leadership must become capable of extracting the full potential of the PIA personnel. If the PIA leadership can sustain the present motivation, the Air Wars will be over in PIA’s favour even before they really begin.
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